We are back again this year doing a costume everyday until Halloween. I can’t tell you how excited I am about what we have in store. It’s going to be nuts. Continue reading → Mancke Month of Costumes
Snow Globes
If you we’re friends with me on swarm (which I know you’re not), you’d know I have a slight obsession with the dollar store. I saw these diy snow globes there the other day and knew we just had to make them as part of our twelve days of handmade Christmas crafts countdown. I was able to pick up three, and Fox decided he wanted to make one for each of “his babies for Christmas”. We used some of Fox’s arctic animals and our handmade bottle brush trees to fill the base. With a dash of glycerin, water, and glitter, our little winter wonderlands were born. Continue reading → Snow Globes
Simple Bell Wreath
These simple understated wreaths are easy to make. We found various size steel rings at our local craft store along with a pack of bells. By attaching some cut greenery from our Christmas tree with floral wire, it took a matter of minutes to transform our kitchen wall just in time for Christmas. Continue reading → Simple Bell Wreath
No-Sew Felt Advent Calendar
The advent calendar is something our whole family looks forward to each morning. Requiring only a few materials, this no-sew felt advent calendar lets your little ones decorate and redecorate the tree with felt ornament shapes long after they’ve checked the day’s pocket. I really wanted to make this for my sister this year because I know she loves felt boards! Plus her family can use it year after year. If you’d like to make your own, use stencils or cookie cutters to trace out ornament shapes and numbers or download our free template. Continue reading → No-Sew Felt Advent Calendar
Mint Bark Gift Bags
Fox and I are wishing you some season’s sweetings with these little mint bark gift bags. This is a perfect sweet treat to give someone on your gift list. Download our free gift tag template to make your own. Continue reading → Mint Bark Gift Bags
Wooden Photo Ornaments
The countdown to Christmas is on with our next craft: wooden photo ornaments. By printing on the slick side of a label sheet backing, you can transfer an image onto another surface. We used this technique to make photo ornaments for the twins’ first Christmas. I took some portraits this morning during breakfast to use on one side of the ornament. Get our free downloadable “Baby’s First Christmas” graphic to make your own. Continue reading → Wooden Photo Ornaments
Handmade Gift Wrap
Every Christmas we handmake gift wrap. My son loves this tradition. Last year, we used dot paint and this year we’ve decided to use stamps and markers. We are really focusing on spacing things out and making patterns. With a simple roll of paper, you can make your gift feel extra special. Continue reading → Handmade Gift Wrap
Marbled Ornaments
On my son’s first Christmas, we started converting our tree to all non-breakable ornaments. With two fur balls and now two babies, it is one less thing to worry about. So this Christmas we’ve been adding to our collection by making our own ornaments all season long. We marbled paper mache ones here though you could use ceramic or glass with the same affect. All you need is nail polish. Continue reading → Marbled Ornaments
Preserved Branches
Ever since we moved into our house, I’ve been trying to decide what type of garland and greenery to decorate with at the holidays. The ubiquitous pine ones just don’t seem to make sense in the south. This year I’ve finally decided on Magnolia and I’m not sure what took me so long. This simple tutorial shows how to preserve those beautiful glossy green magnolia branches with glycerin. Continue reading → Preserved Branches